Mobile military weapons platforms (e.g. boats, trucks, etc.) are typically not stable platforms for mounting ballistic weapon systems (e.g. machine guns, etc.). As a result, such accuracy of such weapon systems can be greatly reduced when the corresponding platform is moving. Engaging an erratically moving target from an erratically moving firing platform can be difficult for even the best-trained war fighter. Once a target has been detected, identified, assessed and acquired, there are key obstacles to overcome, including, for example, correction for the motion of the platform (e.g. the pitch and roll of a boat, etc.), and correction for the range and motion of the target (e.g. target tracking or lead/ballistic correction, etc.).
Conventional stabilized weapon platforms have motors connected to each axis (e.g. azimuth and elevation) and motion sensors connected to the base platform (e.g. the boat or truck). The motors control the aim of the weapon relative to the base platform. The operator aims the platform using an input device (usually very similar to a video game control pad). The system control software reads the data from the operator input device and from the stabilization sensors and determines how fast each motor should move. The problem with this approach is that it requires the operator be physically separated from the weapon. Although it allows the operator to be located somewhere safer (e.g. under armor), that advantage is negated when the vehicle does not have armor.